Schwann Cell Myelination
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Downloaded from http://cshperspectives.cshlp.org/ on September 29, 2021 - Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press Schwann Cell Myelination James L. Salzer Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016 Correspondence: [email protected] Myelinated nerve fibers are essential for the rapid propagation of action potentials by saltatory conduction. They form as the result of reciprocal interactions between axons and Schwann cells. Extrinsic signals from the axon, and the extracellular matrix, drive Schwann cells to adopt a myelinating fate, whereas myelination reorganizes the axon for its role in conduction and is essential for its integrity. Here, we review our current under- standing of the development, molecular organization, and function of myelinating Schwann cells. Recent findings into the extrinsic signals that drive Schwann cell myelination, their cognate receptors, and the downstream intracellular signaling pathways they activate will be described. Together, these studies provide important new insights into how these pathways converge to activate the transcriptional cascade of myelination and remodel the actin cyto- skeleton that is critical for morphogenesis of the myelin sheath. he myelin sheath is a vertebrate evolutionary skeletal changes that direct glial membrane Tadaptation that likely enabled development wrapping around axons differ. In accordance, of large, complex nervous systems by promot- diseases of myelin, generally, are restricted to ing rapid, efficient nerve conduction. Based on those that affect PNS myelinated fibers (e.g., the appearance during evolution of several key CMT1) or CNS fibers (e.g., multiple sclerosis proteins, myelin is thought to have evolved in [MS], leukodystrophies, etc.). early gnathostomes in a common glial precur- Here, we focus on the myelinating Schwann sor, which later gave rise to the distinct Schwann cell. Its organization into discrete membrane cell and oligodendrocyte lineages (Gould et al. and cytoplasmic compartments will be de- 2008; Zalc et al. 2008). Indeed, the overall orga- scribed. New insights into the extrinsic signals nization of myelinated axons in the central and intracellular pathways that drive Schwann nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous cell myelination will be highlighted, including system (PNS) is similar, consistent with their pathways that regulate the actin cytoskeleton conserved roles in saltatory conduction. How- during myelin morphogenesis and the tran- ever, there are substantial differences in the de- scriptional cascade of myelination. Finally, ef- velopment and assembly of myelin by Schwann fects of myelinating Schwann cells on axons cells and oligodendrocytes. Thus, the extrinsic will be discussed. Several excellent reviews on signals that drive myelination, the transcrip- Schwann cell biology have recently been pub- tional cascades they activate, and even the cyto- lished (Pereira et al. 2012; Glenn and Talbot Editors: Ben A. Barres, Marc R. Freeman, and Beth Stevens Additional Perspectives on Glia available at www.cshperspectives.org Copyright # 2015 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved Advanced Online Article. Cite this article as Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a020529 1 Downloaded from http://cshperspectives.cshlp.org/ on September 29, 2021 - Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press J.L. Salzer 2013b; Kidd et al. 2013) and may be consulted nodal, paranodal, juxtaparanodal, and inter- for additional details not provided here. nodal compartments. Radial polarity is indicat- ed by the distinct inner (adaxonal) and outer (abaxonal) membrane surfaces, which are pres- ORGANIZATION AND POLARITY OF THE ent at each end of the cell on opposite sides; PNS MYELIN SHEATH interposed between these two membranes do- Myelinating Schwann cells are radially and lon- mains are the compacted membranes of the my- gitudinally polarized cells (Salzer 2003; Ozcelik elin sheath. et al. 2010; Pereira et al. 2012). With myeli- The adaxonal membrane is separated from nation, Schwann cells organize into distinct the axolemma by a gap of 15 nm (the peri- membrane domains, each with a unique array axonal space); it is enriched in adhesion mole- of proteins, and a communicating set of cyto- cules and receptors that mediate interactions plasmic compartments (Fig. 1). Longitudinal with cognate ligands on the axon. These main- polarity is evident by the overall organization tain the periaxonal space and transduce signals of the myelinating Schwann cell, and axon, into from axonal growth factors, respectively. The Basal lamina Abaxonal membrane Abaxonal membrane Apposition Cajal band Microvilli Apposition Cytoplasmic SN collars Adaxonal SN membrane SLI Paranodal junction Paranodal collar Compact myelin Node Periaxonal space Microvilli Junctional complex SLI Gap Juxtaparanode junction Adaxonal membrane Figure 1. Organization of myelinating Schwann cells. Schematic organization of myelinating Schwann cells (blue) surrounding an axon (gray); the left cell is shown in longitudinal cross section and the right cell is shown unwrapped. Myelinating Schwann cells are surrounded by a basal lamina (illustrated only on the left), which is in direct contact with the abaxonal membrane. The abaxonal compartment contains the Schwann cell nucleus (SN); it is divided into Cajal bands and periodic appositions that form between the abaxonal membrane and outer turn of compact myelin. The Schwann cell adaxonal membrane is separated from the axonal membrane by the periaxonal space (shown in yellow). Compact myelin is interrupted by Schmidt–Lanterman incisures (SLI), which retain cytoplasm and are enriched in the gap and other junctions; a similar autotypic junctional complex of adherens, tight and gap junctions, forms between the apposed membranes of the paranodal loops. Also shown are the paranodal loops and junctions (red) and the Schwann cell microvilli contacting the axon at the node. The axon diameter is reduced in the region of the node and paranodes. (This figure is adapted, with permission, from an original figure in Salzer 2003; modified in Nave 2010.) 2 Advanced Online Article. Cite this article as Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a020529 Downloaded from http://cshperspectives.cshlp.org/ on September 29, 2021 - Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press Schwann Cell Myelination adaxonal membrane is further organized into sheath (Fig. 2). These appositions are enriched the paranodal, juxtaparanodal, and internodal in a dystroglycan complex linked via dystro- domains. The largest such domain is the inter- phin-related protein 2 (Drp2) to periaxin, a node, comprising some 99% of the length of highly abundant scaffolding protein of myeli- the myelinating Schwann cell. Glial adhesion nating Schwann cells (Sherman et al. 2012b). molecules present along the internode include These appositions delineate a network of anas- the myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) and tomosing, cytoplasmic channels, termed Cajal the nectin-like proteins, Necl-2 (CADM1) bands (Court et al. 2004). These cytoplasmic and Necl-4 (CADM4) (Maurel et al. 2007; Spie- channels lie on the outside of the Schwann cell gel et al. 2007); the Necls/Cadm are tethered to and provide a conduit for centrifugal transport a 4.1-G-based cytoskeleton. The remaining 1% of RNA and proteins originating in the cell corresponds to the nodal region, including the soma en route to the paranodal collar (Gould node itself, the flanking paranodes, and juxta- and Mattingly 1990; Court et al. 2004). The out- paranodes. Protein components for these do- er membrane of the Cajal bands interact with mains are discussed in detail elsewhere (Salzer laminin of the basal lamina via the b1 integrin et al. 2008; see also Rasband and Peles 2015). (Court et al. 2011b) and a second, distinct dys- The outer, abaxonal membrane lies adjacent troglycan complex (Masaki and Matsumura to and mediates interactions with laminin in 2010; Walko et al. 2013). Consistent with their the basal lamina, notably the integrins, includ- proposed role in transport, Cajal bands are en- ing a6b1, which is expressed initially, and a6b4 riched in a large array of cytoskeletal proteins, and b dystroglycan, which are up-regulated including microtubules, intermediate filaments, with myelination (Einheber et al. 1992; Previtali and an actin/spectrin complex (Susuki et al. et al. 2003). Unlike the inner cytoplasmic com- 2011; Kidd et al. 2013; Walko et al. 2013). They partment, which is uniformly spaced, the outer also represent sites of localized protein synthesis cytoplasmic compartment is interrupted by pe- (Gould and Mattingly 1990), and intracellular riodic appositions between the abaxonal mem- signaling via laminin receptors (Heller et al. brane and the outer wrap of the compact myelin 2014). Based on their enrichment in caveolae Figure 2. Cajal bands. Fluorescence micrograph showing a portion of a teased, myelinated fiber from adult rat sciatic nerve, the presence of the Cajal bands (green), and the membrane appositions (red) in the abaxonal compartment. Staining shown is for phospho-NDRG1 (green) and a-dystroglycan (red) (see Heller et al. 2014 for further details). Advanced Online Article. Cite this article as Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a020529 3 Downloaded from http://cshperspectives.cshlp.org/ on September 29, 2021 - Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory